Why do people ride rubbish bikes!
Discussion
Why are some people so hung up on riding tat?
Ive got a housemate at the moment who has a £70 argos y-frame which he insits on riding round cannock on behind me.
- I can see his point, as a foreign student (hongkong) that he cant easly buy a decent bike while hes not always got somewhere to keep it between years.
- However you can hire a tidy hardtail (as good as my rockhopper tbh) for £15 for three hours and he's not short of cash.
- But apprently when asked, he wants to ride his own bike, which is maddness. The breaks dont even work, its heavy, he cant stay on the pedals, etc.
Got the same issue with another freind, the bikes not quite as bad. But its a rigid steel framed raleigh with caliper brakes which barely work.
- Last time we went out i lent her my bike for the second time round for comparison and she like it. But now with a new pair of 'brake blocks' we're back again!
Daniel
Ive got a housemate at the moment who has a £70 argos y-frame which he insits on riding round cannock on behind me.
- I can see his point, as a foreign student (hongkong) that he cant easly buy a decent bike while hes not always got somewhere to keep it between years.
- However you can hire a tidy hardtail (as good as my rockhopper tbh) for £15 for three hours and he's not short of cash.
- But apprently when asked, he wants to ride his own bike, which is maddness. The breaks dont even work, its heavy, he cant stay on the pedals, etc.
Got the same issue with another freind, the bikes not quite as bad. But its a rigid steel framed raleigh with caliper brakes which barely work.
- Last time we went out i lent her my bike for the second time round for comparison and she like it. But now with a new pair of 'brake blocks' we're back again!
Daniel
Riding 'Tat' is at least riding and not what some people do and buy all the bling and spend more time cleaning it then getting out there.
In fact, why should it bother you? I remember my first Mountain bike. A Raliegh Mirage with Shimano Exage trail stuff, full length brake levers (plastic), calipers, plastic and solid brake blocks, I used to bend the lever to get the breaks to work, they were shocking. It was really heavy and tyres were s
t. However, if I remember allt he times I enjoyed on it I would say that pound for pound it was the second best bike I ever owned.
In fact, why should it bother you? I remember my first Mountain bike. A Raliegh Mirage with Shimano Exage trail stuff, full length brake levers (plastic), calipers, plastic and solid brake blocks, I used to bend the lever to get the breaks to work, they were shocking. It was really heavy and tyres were s
t. However, if I remember allt he times I enjoyed on it I would say that pound for pound it was the second best bike I ever owned.Oh a i know what your say, and its certainly better to be out there than not.
- I just really stuggle to understand why my housemate doesnt just hire i guess?
The reason i care (and maybe i shouldnt care so much) is becuase it just really holds him back in terms of keeping up with the rest of us, and also because quite simply its bloody lethal!
- He basicaly cant stop, certainly not fast enough to avoid a colision if something happened up ahead. And as i say he cant stand ont he pedals without falling off, often siting on the seat coasting down legs flailing, and has push uphill becuse he has not gears (that work) or grip.
He proberbly only joins us five times a year, and £15 a pop isnt that bad really. Else take me up on the offer of storing his bike over uni vacs (were sharing a house again next year) and put £200 or somthing on a bike that would be upto the job.
IM just thinking really
- My bikes not bling machine, but over the years ive just steped up from raleighs as a kid, to a cromo hardrock sport, ali hardrock pro, and as of last year, a rockhopper disk, which ive proberbly done 500miles on tracks, and maybe another 2/300 on roads.
Daniel
- I just really stuggle to understand why my housemate doesnt just hire i guess?
The reason i care (and maybe i shouldnt care so much) is becuase it just really holds him back in terms of keeping up with the rest of us, and also because quite simply its bloody lethal!
- He basicaly cant stop, certainly not fast enough to avoid a colision if something happened up ahead. And as i say he cant stand ont he pedals without falling off, often siting on the seat coasting down legs flailing, and has push uphill becuse he has not gears (that work) or grip.
He proberbly only joins us five times a year, and £15 a pop isnt that bad really. Else take me up on the offer of storing his bike over uni vacs (were sharing a house again next year) and put £200 or somthing on a bike that would be upto the job.
IM just thinking really
- My bikes not bling machine, but over the years ive just steped up from raleighs as a kid, to a cromo hardrock sport, ali hardrock pro, and as of last year, a rockhopper disk, which ive proberbly done 500miles on tracks, and maybe another 2/300 on roads.
Daniel
I think even a £150 hardtail is a big step up from some of these Toys'R'us machines! A friend at uni who was an engineer as well as a former motorcross rider insisted on buying something that looked like a proper full susser for £100 or so. Unfortunately he had the ability to ride it like a proper bike and he broke two in quick sucession. Finally settled on a cheap, but dependable, rather 'un bling' hardtail.
On the flipside... I rode a completely rigid Claud Buttler with v-brakes for many years. It meant that when I picked up a decent quality hardtail and then a fullsusser I had some idea what I was doing. I suspect I'd be quicker going back to that rigid bike today than I would have been the first time I tried to ride off road even if I'd had my current Orange to play with.
The simplest answer however is perception - people assume something with front and rear suspension and disc brakes must be better than something without.
On the flipside... I rode a completely rigid Claud Buttler with v-brakes for many years. It meant that when I picked up a decent quality hardtail and then a fullsusser I had some idea what I was doing. I suspect I'd be quicker going back to that rigid bike today than I would have been the first time I tried to ride off road even if I'd had my current Orange to play with.
The simplest answer however is perception - people assume something with front and rear suspension and disc brakes must be better than something without.
mat205125 said:
mk1fan said:
You can't really pass comment on 'tat' bikes when you ride a Spesh 
Hmmm! Fighting talk eh!!! Sounds like someone wants a race 
But, if you want to beat him, I havea tip for you, his powers lie in his lack on barnet coverage.
Indeed the Five will be there feel free to join us on the 8th it's a social event.
Wildcards - I find the legend status quite funny and will resist posting the Penhydd time differentials
To the OP - other bike manufactures are available
But never demean someone whom is getting out there and riding as that is good and I am sure they get satifaction out of the cheaper steeds, though some of the cheap bikes are so damn heavy it's hard to imagine how they get them up hill, but they will be quick with a lighter bike having hauled a heavy beast around when they upgrade
Wildcards - I find the legend status quite funny and will resist posting the Penhydd time differentials
To the OP - other bike manufactures are available
But never demean someone whom is getting out there and riding as that is good and I am sure they get satifaction out of the cheaper steeds, though some of the cheap bikes are so damn heavy it's hard to imagine how they get them up hill, but they will be quick with a lighter bike having hauled a heavy beast around when they upgradeI started my mountain biking back in 86 and had a raleigh mustang ! I had 2 that i broke within a week of having each one then got my first decent one in 87 a muddy fox courier (was good at the time) and as times have moved on biking has got more expensive and better quality. Most of us like to pay the extra and get a decent bike But some dont. If i see some fat or old person riding a cheap crap quality bike i will say to the person next to me (At least there out trying to do something and enjoying it) I dont think it matters what bike it is done on as long as they are out and enjoying thereself. It just means they are working a little harder on a cheaper bike. Ride the trails and enjoy 
atom111 said:
Indeed the Five will be there feel free to join us on the 8th it's a social event.
Open to all? If so I think i'm free, more details please. I'd love to see the legend in the flesh. (Does he glow?)Back on topic, what really grinds my paste is when people ask for advice, i.e. 'what bike should I get for £XXX' you give them what you think are the best deals/bikes around and some honest advice then see a week later that they've bought a lump of pig iron from the local cheapy cheap shop because it came with a lock, water bottle, helmet and umpteen other equally naff things free. Mind you, they do usually realise their error within the first two rides leaving you with a lovely 'Told you so' feeling.
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